Southwest Pacific: Western Australia to New South Wales, including New Zealand. Principal component analysis of morphometric and meristic characters indicates three separate subpopulations in the Great Australian Bight, off New South Wales, and off Tasmania (Ref. 7456).

Biology
Glossary
(e.g. epibenthic)

Adults are commonly found near the bottom, in midwater and occasionally at the surface (Ref. 9258) in continental shelf waters (Ref. 27930). They form pelagic schools for most of the year but may move close to the sea bed during winter (Ref. 27931). Generally found at less than 300 m water depth with temperature less than 16° C (Ref. 9072). Juveniles inhabit coastal and estuarine waters although they may sometimes be found offshore (Ref. 27930). Adults feed mostly during the day mainly on krill and other planktonic crustaceans, light fish (Sternoptychidae) and lantern fish (Myctophidae) at the edge of the continental shelf (Ref. 27933).

Eggs and sperm are released amongst schooling fish, possibly deep in the water column near the edge of the continental shelf. Eggs are distributed between the surface and the thermocline and larvae are carried inshore by currents.